O'Neill and Keane to be 'managers' of Ireland

[Jace]

When you say usual, how many has he had? He's had a pop at the Man Utd fans, and who wouldn't blame him, and he famously walked away from an International tournament, pissing off a lot of people. Are there more?

Everyone in the united dressing room including Sir Alex apparently according to his new book

[xHamzah]

I can imagine MON doing decent, but Keane no chance.

[Finnegan]

I don't see why this is being billed as O'Neill and Keane getting the job in the press.

O'Neill has gotten the job. O'Neill is THE manager of the Irish side. Keane's just a high profile assistant and if he acts out, presumably MON can have him gone?

Might be better for Keane to be someone's enforcer than the top dog himself.

[Durnerz]

Who's going to be the first player to react to criticism from Keane by reminding him of his disloyalty in 2002 then?

[foxfanazer]

Just can't see this ending well. Is Keane just an assistant managerbor are they equal?

[Alf Bentley]

irish side of my family seem delighted with MON but absolutely disgusted with Roy Keane.

 

I've just come back from 3 days in Ireland for a family funeral, and this summed up the views of most people that I spoke to - though "baffled and pessimistic" about Keane, rather than "disgusted".

 

Interestingly, I read a couple of Irish broadsheet articles suggesting that the Irish FA had insisted on O'Neill having an assistant, once it became clear that John Robertson wouldn't be part of the package. Concerned about O'Neill's record managing on his own, they reckoned...and they might have a point there. If so, I don't suppose they were expecting O'Neill to nominate Keane as the required assistant! MON's just the sort of contrary bugger to have enjoyed doing that!

 

I'd be a bit more optimistic than most. Firstly, MON obviously knows all about Keane and thinks that he can work with him, and retain control. Secondly, Keane's managerial career really cannot afford another failure, so he's got a pretty strong motive to do well (not least to spite the Irish FA, for whom he had such contempt) and not throw his toys out of the pram.

 

Keane motivating the players and whipping them into shape, and MON determining tactics and providing the charismatic inspiration...I presume that is the idea.

 

Should be entertaining, anyway, though I think their main problem will be a lack of quality players. 

[Father Ted]

I can't understand how Keane has been appointed assistant after he kicked off in 2002.

[Guest Bilo]

This will literally be like Pinky and The Brain.

[MooseBreath]

This has comedy written all over it. Two absolute Nutjobs brimming with that weird, slightly unhinged and unsettling mentality common among the Irish, slammed together and forced to dance on command. Like Requiem for a Dream meets the Chuckle Brothers. Should be brilliant to watch.

[Hugo Sanchez]

Roy Keane is one of the greatest footballers of his generation. The bloke knows what he's on about. The bloke passion to win is better then most in football and yeah fergie slagged him off but he's still the most crucial player in the fergie era. Plus he's got MON to guide him and learn from regarding the management side of things.

People slaging Keane off for walking out, should probably read his book. I would off walked out. The bloke was right to do so. The Irish F.A were a joke back then.

[Guest MattP]

No one should ever walk out on their country.

 

Maybe he did them a favour anyway, squad clearly thought he was a cnut and they did better without him than any tournament where he played.

[Corky]

Roy Keane is one of the greatest footballers of his generation. The bloke knows what he's on about. The bloke passion to win is better then most in football and yeah fergie slagged him off but he's still the most crucial player in the fergie era. Plus he's got MON to guide him and learn from regarding the management side of things.

People slaging Keane off for walking out, should probably read his book. I would off walked out. The bloke was right to do so. The Irish F.A were a joke back then.

 

It's hardly going to be a balanced account is it?

[The Horse's Mouth]

From Trapps to O'Neill and Keane. How depressing.

[sphericalfox]

It was only the first game, so there's always going to be a honeymoon period, players playing for places, the selection was already chosen for them, but overall it wasn't a bad game. Not amazing, but not dreadful. There was much ball retention, but not a tremendous amount on target given the opportunities made.

 

The real test will be against tougher and more organised opposition.

 

Sky spent a tremendous amount of time talking about Keane and not much about MON. In fact every time they spoke about them as a management team, they referred to Keane, then MON, which pissed me off. Hopefully this will be just a phase, and it won't become a habit.

 

There's a lot of hard work to be done for ireland, especially bringing through players of quality into the senior fold, and this is going to take time, as well as finding the right mix of current senior players who with a boost of confidence can actually start competing.

 

I have faith in MON. I'm am uncertain of Keane, but time will tell if they as a combo can at least improve the team, set-up, and get us as a minimum into the next Euros.

[Stadt]

The worst thing about this is that we will probably never see Roy Keane punch Adrian Chiles in the face on live on national tv.